HC Deb 22 February 1988 vol 128 cc25-6W
Mr. Chapman

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Chipping Barnet on 23 November 1987,Official Report, column 23, how often the energy management panels set up by Government Departments responsible for the civil estate have met; what is the total annual energy bill for which they are responsible; what capital investment budget has been set aside for energy efficiency improvements; and if he will report on progress in energy efficiency in Government buildings.

Mr. Parkinson

The energy management panel for the civil estate has met twice since it was established last autumn. The total annual energy bill for the civil estate is about £60 million. The Property Services Agency is directing about £3.5 million in both 1987–88 and 1988–89 to capital improvements in energy efficiency. This is in addition to spending by individual Departments within their own works programmes and further energy efficiency improvements which arise from substantial planned maintenance expenditure by the PSA.

The panel is monitoring developments across the estate and will advise Departments on how to build on the significant progress already achieved.